FWA and Jazz Festivals Impacted by COVID-19

The 2020 Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts (FWA) is cancelled due to the continuation of social distancing measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The next and thirty-eighth rendition of this event is now slated for August 12 to 15, 2021.

The FWA was scheduled to take place this year from August 13-16. Established in 1983 by Betty Keller and members of the SunCoast Writers Forge, the FWA attracts about 8,500 attendees annually to Sechelt for its events. It brings together Canadian writers and readers to promote literacy, the craft of writing and the cultural community of the Sunshine Coast.
In a press release, FWA Board President John Lussier stated “This was not a decision we made lightly. Every single person on the board wanted to see the 2020 Festival of the Written Arts happen. We know it affects so many people in our community. But we also know that we have an obligation to ensure the safety of our authors, volunteers, staff, and audience and to follow the direction from the public health authorities. Looking at the projections of what lies ahead, we knew we had no other choice.”
In the announcement, Lussier expressed the Board’s gratitude to the FWA’s public sector funders, sponsors, donors and supporters.
Also cancelled as a result of COVID-19 impacts is the 2020 Gibsons Landing Jazz Festival, which was set to run in June.
At this point, this year’s Pender Harbour Jazz Festival has been postponed until September 18 to 20. Festival spokesperson Marilyn McLeod stated “If the situation hasn’t changed by the end of July we will have to cancel for this year. We’ll just have to wait and see, I see many of the big Festival slated for August have cancelled due to the unpredictable times we are living in.”